Topklasse Live | T20 Round 5 | As it Happened

Nasir bowls Konlechner, bringing in last man Reddy. Reinder Lubbers returns from the Pavilion End, and Reddy swipes at his second delivery, edging through to Ottachchige. And that’s it: Salland win by 60 runs.

Harry Singh and Waqas Ahmad engage in some spirited lower-middle order resistance to get ACC into three figures, but after Waqas smacks Gopinath over long on for a massive six he walks down the wicket to the next one and is comprehensively stumped by Rahil Ahmad. Konlechner in as the penultimate man.

Hans is caught by Raxworthy at extra cover off Gopinath, and in the next over Pote is leg-before slog-sweeping at Bharathi. Then a very unfortunate run-out as Kumar is sent back, slips and has no chance of beating the return. ACC falling apart here.

And that’s a big moment, as Hobson is beaten by a full delivery from Bharathi. He goes for 46, and Aryan Kumar comes in to join Hans with the chase beginning to falter.

Gopinath on now from the Pavilion End, and after Hobson picks up another boundary Potdar comes down the wicket to him and is comfortably stumped by Ottachchige. Anis Raza in at four, and he lasts just two balls, caught by Nasir at square leg. Mahesh Hans joins Hobson as ACC totter somewhat.

Elam Bharathi on at the Railway End, Hobson turning him deftly off his pads through square leg for four, and when Nasir bowls from the other end he pulls him square for another. Then he edges wide of a diving Rahil Ahmed for four more. Bharathi manages to cut out the boundaries, but six still come from his next. Hobson’s raced to 40*.

Hobson plays what might well be the shot of the day, pulling Bartholomew high over midwicket for six. Then Potdar smacks him over extra cover for four, before cutting him to backward point for a single. Good positive batting from these two, on a track which has a lot more runs in it than it did this morning.

Reinder Lubbers again takes the new ball from the Pavilion End, bowling to Rahil Ahmed, who opens with Shreyas Potdar. They construct what we once called a picket fence of singles, a misfield at deep cover breaking the sequence with a two. Bartholomew from the Railway End.

Runs flow freely in the closing overs, until Naqqash tries to hit Reddy onto the railway line and is caught by Raza at long on for 43. This brings the Brothers Lubbermazov together for the final two deliveries, and they hustle a two and a very enterprisingly-run three to leave ACC with a mountain to climb.

Raxworthy reverses at Hans and is caught by Pote at fly slip. Victor Lubbers joins Naqqash, who effortlessly lofts Reddy over backward square for another six. This is now Salland’s highest total of the competition, beating the 143 they posted against VOC and Punjab. Talk about saving the best till last.

Naqqash turns Raza delicately behind square for four, then thumps him most indelicately over cow for six. Back to finesse again, turning him behind square for another boundary, before edging him past the keeper for a couple. That was a seriously productive over for Salland.

One brings two, as Ganesan walks across his wicket to swing Waqas to leg and is comprehensively bowled. Naqqash in at five.

Ganesan brings up his fifty off Raza, having taken just 35 balls to do it. But it’s Raza who gets the breakthrough, as Khan tries to swing him away and is bowled for 37, the stand worth exactly 100. Raxworthy joins Ganesan.

Joseph Reddy on from the Railway End; Ganesan cuts to third man again, and then Khan opts for the aerial route, lofting him over extra cover. Isaac Konlechner replaces Waqas, and they work him for a string of five singles. Mahesh Hans on for Reddy, Ganesan reversing to nudge him over the vacant slip area. The score builds steadily.

Khan continues to drive sweetly, but he’s unable to pierce the field. Another one goes down, though, when Ganesan drives uppishly to mid-off, who can’t hang on to it. He punishes Waqas in his next over, lofting him powerfully over mid-on for four. Then a finesseful late cut for another, and he rubs it in by clipping him off his hip just backward of square. Fifteen off the over in all.

Ottachchige is dropped at mid-off, not an easy chance, but he got two hands to it. It’s not too expensive, though, because he chases one down the leg side and Rahil Ahmed takes a good catch to his left. Ganesan in at three.

Waqas Ahmad is in the ACC side today, and he starts from the Pavilion End to Pirayanga Ottachchige, who opens instead of Ganesan. Single for him, and then Talha Khan drives Waqas back straight for a very fluent boundary. Thomas Hobson from the Railway End.

And the news from the toss is that Salland have won it and elected to bat.

Visée switches to the Railway End, some more desperate running and a couple of nice strokes bringing six from it. Double switch as Boendermaker bowls from the Pavilion End with 21 needed from two. Big responsibility for a 14-year-old! But he’s backed up by some great fielding, notably from Walbrugh in the covers and from De Mey on the straight boundary. And his return gets the breakthrough, as Victor’s dive comes too late. Nasir the new man.

This is turning into a very valuable partnership indeed, nine coming off Boendermaker’s second over. Which is the minumum Salland need. Adendorff returns to bowl the 17^th, Victor getting a stroke of luck as he edges through keeper Scholte and they run three. They scramble another five off the rest of the over, and they need 27 from three.

Yoran Visée on at the Pavilion End, and Victor L plays him to third man for four before surviving two massive appeals for LBW, the second probably more adjacent than the first. Elmar Boendermaker bowls from the Railway End, and they manage to get a brace of twos off a very tidy over. The hole’s gettng deeper, but Victor pulls Visée between mid-on and midwicket for a much-needed boundary before they pick up a two to finish the over. 44 needed off the last five.

Reinder survives a big shout for caught behind off Vink, and they get a single apiece off the over. 109 is looking a better total all the time. De Mey completes his spell with figures of 4 – 0 – 5 – 2. Amazing stuff. But I have to say I’d rather watch a battle like this than a T20 where both sides make 200.

Salland in serious need of a decent stand now. Instead of which, Naqqash is bowled without playing a shot as Vink gets the ball to jag back. Reinder Lubbers joins his brother with the side in real trouble.

Vink bowls Ottachchige as he reaches outside off and chops the ball into his stumps. Never was the phrase ‘did not trouble the scorers’ less appropriate. Victor Lubbers in at six..

Ferdi Vink from the Pavilion End, and Ganesan greets him by lofting him back over his head for four. And when he overpitches Naqqash eases him through extra cover for another. Then De Mey strikes again, as Ganesan tries to swing him away to leg and bottom-edges the ball into his stumps. Piyaranga Ottachchige joins Naqqash.

Adendorff’s begun well, but Raxworthy pull the first ball of his third in front of square for four, then drives him through extra cover for another. That seems to have been too much for the ball, which has to be replaced. Julian de Mey replaces Singh from the Railway End, and with his fifth ball he accounts for Raxworthy, who doesn’t get to the pitch and hits a simple return catch. He goes for 17, and is succeeded by Naqqash.

Manjinder Singh from the Railway End, and he almost gets Ganesan as he drives back head-high and the bowler can’t hold onto it. In his next over he delivers a juicy full toss, which Raxworthy duly despatches through midwicket for four. He drives the same line later in the over, but doesn’t time this one so well, and they get three.

Adendorff takes the first over from the Pavilion End, bowling initially to Ganesan. Almost a wicket, as Ganesan edges his third ball to shortish third man, but it doesn’t quite carry and they get a single. Talha Khan is the other opener, and he opens the face, guiding the ball to the third man boundary. But then he drives expansively, and Scholte snaffles the catch. Finn Raxworthy in at three.

Adendorff goes over wide mid-on for six off Victor Lubbers to move to 47, but then he edges him into his stumps and departs. Martijn Scholte in, gets two, and then is run out off the final delivery. HBS will need to bowl very well indeed to defend 109!

Victor Lubbers bowls at the death from the Railway End, De Mey slicing him away behind point for four. Some little misfields and enterprising running enable them to bring up the hundred, but then a Nasir yorker crashes through De Mey’s defences and into the stumps. Ferdi Vink joins Adendorff with one over left.

Pace returns from the Pavilion End in the form of Gul Ahmad Nasir, and still the batters are finding scoring difficult. And indeed making contact, as Nasir repeatedly beats the bat. Bharathi returns from the Railway End, and Adendorff greets him with a clean hit over midwicket for six. Some inventiveness from De Mey, who turns him fine for three; 12 from the over, and Adendorff has moved to 34* from 47.

Akhil Gopinath on from the Railway End, Adendorff turning a legside delivery to the fine leg boundary. Just three singles from the rest of the over, and Salland are still keeping things relatively quiet. When Adendorff comes down the pitch to Ganesan, the bowler sees him coming and adjusts accordingly. Skilful stuff.

Mason goes after Ganesan, lofting him over long on for a huuuuuge six. But it’s six and out, as he pulls the next straight to Naqqash on the squatre leg boundary. Julian de Mey in at six.

Elam Bharathi on from the Railway End, just one coming from his first as Salland turn the screw. Ganesan replaces Lubbers at the Pavilion End, three from it, Mason and Adendorff finding it very difficult to get the ball away. Mason relieves the pressure a little by sweeping Bharathi behind square for four, but at the halfway stage HBS have left themselves with a lot of work to do.

Lubbers hits Adendorff where it hurts, and once he’s recovered he has a compensatory stroke of luck, chopping the next back just past his leg stump. And after Mason takes a single, Adendorff drives Bartholomew sweetly through point, just beating the fielder on the boundary. Reinder Lubbers finishes an excellent spell with a maiden, for figures of 4 – 2 – 7 – 3, remarkable in a T20.

A much better over from Bartholomew, Singh having departed; just a two for Mason from it. Then Khan edges Reinder Lubbers shoulder-high to Ganesan’s right, and he takes the catch. Nic Adendorff joins Mason.

It couldn’t last: Singh tries to do the same to Reinder Lubbers, doesn’t get enough of it, and Sahir Naqqash runs to his left from long off to pouch the catch. Fifteen-year-old Azzam Khan in at four.

Manjinder Singh in at three, and immediately off the mark with a drive through the covers for four. He’s evidently in the mood, for when Fraser Bartholomew starts from the Railway End he slog-sweeps his first ball for another, then lofts his third over long on for six. Tries to do it again, but doesn’t get hold of it and it just clears mid-on. The man drops back to the line, whereupon Singh smacks it wider, through bovine territory for a four. Then back over his head to complete the over, 20 coming from it.

Reinder Lubbers starts from the Pavilion End, bowling to Reece Mason, with Tayo Walbrugh the non-striker. Mason off the mark with a confident drive to deep cover for a single, but then Walbrugh gets an edge to a well-directed delivery and is well caught by Venkat Ganesan at slip, lunging forward and taking it just before it hits the ground. Great start for Salland!

Balwantsingh slogs the first delivery, skying it over his shoulder and keeper Scully taking the catch when it descends. 11 still needed. Tom Hoornweg hits his first ball for four, then a string of three singles brings Snoep on strike with four needed off the final delivery. He hits it to long off where Turmaine almost takes the catch, but in the attempt pushes it over the line. Sparta win by two wickets!

But this is not over: Singh swings violently at a Van Luin yorker, is struck low on the pad, and the umpire’s finger goes up. Balwantsingh in with 14 needed off 11 balls. Then, when the new batter plays into the covers there’s a dreadful mix-up mid-pitch, and Kroesen is run out by a direct hit from Turmaine. Snoep joins Balwantsingh.

Visser gets Clark, who lofts him to Van Luin at midwicket, but since then Kroesen and Manminder Singh have picked off the runs in ones and twos, which is all Sparta need. 14 to get off the last two overs.

Another for Van Vliet as Reddy drives in the air to mid-off, where Musa takes the catch. Zinesh Master in as last man, with Voorburg on the brink of their second win of the day. And there it is: Master’s bowled by Kamal, and Voorburg win by 26 runs. Van Vliet finishes with four for 24.

Ahmadi hits first Abid and then Nashier for six, but when he tries to do it again next ball he gets a leading edge and is caught by Balbirnie at extra cover. His 18 came from eight deliveries, and he’s succeeded by Joost Kroesen with 32 required.

Van Vliet takes an outstanding low return catch to remove Kumar for 14, and of his next ball Devanshu Arya is even more brilliantly caught by Stijn de Leede at shortish cover. Isaac Konlechner in to face the hat-trick ball, is struck on the pad, and the umpire’s finger goes up. Mees van Vliet has a hat-trick!

Clark heaves Abid over the midwicket boundary, but in the next over, from Van Luin, Tarr miscues a similar shot and is caught by Visser at wide long on for 18. Ahmadi in to join Clark with 52 still needed.

Kumar’s response is to hit Kamal for back-to-back boundaries, but now Floris de Lange has collected a third wicket, and it’s Ahmed, caught by Gigani on the square leg boundary for 36. That’s a massive wicket for Voorburg!

Another wicket for Aaditt Jain, as Ferguson swings across the line and gets an inside edge into his stumps, departing for 21. Tarr has 6* from 17 deliveries, and VRA are not making things easy for Sparta. Jain has two for 3 from 2.3.

Musa switches to the Paddock End, and he bowls Raza for 10. Mahesh Hans in at five with the game in the balance.

Things are looking promising for Sparta as well, Ferguson and Tarr building a solid platform as they chase a fairly modest total. Ferguson on 21*, Tarr on 5*.

De Lange trapped in front Hobson first ball, Anis Raza successfully negotiating the hat-trick ball, and Raza and Ahmed have gradually got their side into a promising position. Ahmed’s on 31* now.

Sparta have lost their first wicket as well, Bukhari holing out to Visser at long on off Aaditt Jain and departing for 13. Garnett Tarr in to join Ferguson.

Apologies for my radio silence, but I’ve been mesmerised by the dramatic events at Lord’s, where Nathan Lyon, hobbling on a torn calf, has come out to bat as last man in a crazy-brave attempt to extend Australia’s lead. You don’t often see courage like this, even in modern sport. Anyway, at Westvliet ACC have just lost their first wicket, Potdar bowled by Floris de Lange for 13. Thomas Hobson joins Ahmed, who’s on 36.

Ahmed and Shreyas Potdar have made a steady start, taking no risks but knowing that a six and a bit an over they really don’t need to.

Ashir Abid from the Pavilion End at the Bermweg, bowling to Sam Ferguson with Mudassar Bukhari at the other end. He plays straight, taking a two and a nicely-driven four from the first over. Jack Balbirnie from the Schollebos End.

Musa begins from the Pavilion End, just a single to Rahil Ahmed coming from his first over. Karl Nieuwoudt will bowl for second from the Paddock End.

More parsimony from Clark to finish, and Jain eventually skies the final delivery high to cover, where keeper Tarr makes a lot of ground to take the catch. But Jain and Abid have eked out 19 precious runs for the last wicket, and given their disastrous start VRA may be a bit relieved to have got this far.

Jain and Abid pick up what they can, but Snoep has held Will Clark back for the death overs, and his first over, mostly yorkers, concedes just four singles.

Hobson returns to bowl Floris de Lange, but little brother Cedric and Mees van Vliet stay to tne end, De Lange finishing with a very useful 13-ball 21*. They’ve just about given Voorburg something to bowl at.

Jain lofts Balwantsingh efforlessly over cover for six to bring up VRA’s hundred, and then disaster strikes: Jain pushes to cover, Nashier looks for a non-existent single, is sent back, and his dive is beaten by a smart underarm throw from Bukhari. It doesn’t look as if VRA will use all their overs.

Another for Arya, Laurens Boissevain stumped by Rahil Ahmed, bringing Cedric de Lange in to join his elder brother. But things look grim for Voorburg at this stage.

Nieuwoudt falls to Devanshu Arya, caught by Hans for 21. Floris de Lange in with Laurens Boissevain now, as Voorburg battle their way towards three figures.

Turmaine tries to pull Balwantsingh, but succeeds only in bottom-edging the ball into his middle stump. Eduard Visser joins Nashier.

A wicket for Tibo Balk at Westvliet, Philippe Boissevain edging a catch to Rahil Ahmed. Nieuwoudt and Laurens Boissevain have the task of getting Voorburg up to a defensible total.

More chaos, as Balwantsingh succeeds Bukhari and gets one to fizz through Balbirnie’s defences, uprooting the long-suffering off stump. Udit Nashier the next man in the procession.

Snoep on for Ahmadi from the Schollebos End, and although his first over costs only four Smal eases the first ball of his second into the Bos, a long delay ensuing as the search party does its work. That’s it, though, since later in the over Smal edges him to Garnett Tarr behind the stumps and departs for 22. Leon Turmaine in at seven, and he gets off the mark with an edge to the third man boundary.

Just when it looked as if some sanity might be being restored, Gigani falls to Hans for 32, caught by Potdar. Philippe Boissevain in now with Nieuwoudt.

Oh, come on, guys, gimme a break! Zamaan Khan tries to plant Bukhari in the car park behind the pavilion, and his off stump’s uprooted too. Jack Balbirnie in to join Smal, with a massive rebuilding project ahead of them. Three for 15 for Bukhari.

A second wicket for Reddy, Kulkarni this time trapped in front for 5. Karl Nieuwoudt to the crease, Voorburg similarly rocking somewhat.

Khalid Ahmadi gets into the acti, Rasool trying to hit him into the Schollebos and holing out to Manminder Singh at long off. He goes for 14, and Zamaan Khan comes in to join Smal with VRA in a spot of bother.

Another at Westvliet as well: De Leede stumped by Rahil Ahmed off Joseph Reddy for 1. Gigani’s on 23* now, joined by Nirav Kulkarni.

Another for Bukhari, and this time it’s the middle stump which goes flying as Van Luin swings and misses. He may be coming off a short run, but he’s still a handful! Johan Smal in to join Rasool.

Mahesh Hans and Thomas Hobson take the new ball for ACC, bowling to Nehaan Gigani and Musa Ahmad. Two boundaries for Gigani off Hans’s initial over get the scoreboard moving, but then Hobson bowls Musa for a most unaccustomed duck. Stijn de Leede in at three.

Mudassar Bukhari starts from the Pavilion End, bowling to Luke Scully and Tyler van Luin. And he does Scully with a classic Bukhari dismissal, sending his off stump cartwheeling. First blood to Sparta as Shirase Rasool, back from injury, joins Van Luin.

And at Westvliet Shreyas Potdar has called correctly and invited Voorburg to have a bat.

And action at the Bermweg, with Sparta winning the toss and electing to field.

The covers are coming off at the Bermweg, so the prospects there are looking up. The protagonists will not be the only ones with a stake in that game, given the rained-off matches this morning.

Van Vliet bowls it, and with his first delivery he gets Walbrugh caught behind as he slashes outside off. 39 from 22 is a good knock, but Voorburg are almost there as Adendorff joins Drummond. He may be channelling Logan van Beek as he lofts the next over the midwicket boundary, but they can only get two from the third. Then a single, and it’s effectively all over. A dot and a two, and Voorburg win by 13 runs.

Nieuwoudt is Voorburg’s trump card, and although he bowls one legside wide he restricts them otherwise to five singles, leaving 25 needed from the last.

Sajjad Kamal bowls the sixth: Walbrugh pulls him through midwicket for four and Drummond drives him straight before lofting him over midwicket for six to keep HBS in touch with their target. 31 from two.

14 off Mees van Vliet’s first over, including two more boundaries for Walbrugh. But Boissevain restricts them to five off his second, and that’s a crucial over for the home side, leaving HBS with 47 to get from the last three overs.

Immediate success for Voorburg: four and out for Reece Mason, caught by Mees van Vliet off the bowling of Nieuwoudt. It’s all up to to Walbrugh, really, and he’s gone to 17* from eight deliveries, batting with Tim Drummond.

Vink bowls the last, but Musa smashes three consecutive sixes to reach 64. Off the final delivery, though, he holes out to Reece Mason; with six fours and five sixes he’s achieved another brilliant solo effort, and HBS need 96 to win.

Boissevain comes and goes, hitting a four before he’s caught by Yoran Visée for 7. His brother Laurens succeeds him , but falls almost immediately to Navjit as HBS hit back. Karl Nieuwoudt in now, and Musa’s on 45* with one over to go.

And a breakthrough: Navjit Singh snaffles a return catch to remove Nehaan Gigani for 15. Philippe Boissevain in at three.

More punishment for De Mey, Gigani hitting a boundary and Musa then adding a six and two more fours. Nic Adendorff replaces Vink, but Musa keeps up the barrage with two more fours and another six. At the halfway mark Voorburg look set for three figures, Musa on 41* from 17 deliveries.

Julian de Mey’s opening over goes for 11, including a couple of fours to Musa Ahmad, who’s been in great form with the bat. Ferdi Vink from the other end, and after opening with a wide he manages to restrict the scoring to a strong of singles. That’s a win in the context of a game like this.

Tayo Walbrugh won the toss, we learn, and invited Voorburg to have a bat. They will have 8 overs per side.

They’ve called it off at De Diepput as well. One point apiece for HCC and VOC.

Tayo Walbrugh won the toss, we learn, and invited Voorburg to have a bat.

But we’re going to get a game at Westvliet. Not sure who won the toss, but it looks as if Voorburg will be batting.

The game at the Bermweg has been abandoned. Our informant: ‘game cancelled due to less than favourable weather conditions’. Beautifully put.

Evidently just a passing showerlet at Westvliet, and the covers are coming off again.

But it’s now hammering down again in Capelle. Although our informant’s language was less elegant . . .

They’ll be starting at 12:45, the toss taking place at 12:20. That will give us a 9-over game. As I write that, the players go running for the covers, the stumps come out, and the covers go on. Somebody up there is not on our side.

There will be another inspection at 12:30 at the Bermweg, we are told.

There are areas of the Diepput where the water traditionally tends to accumulate, and it’s been confirmed that they’ll have to get started before 13:15 or the match will be abandoned. That applies everywhere, of course.

The covers are off at Westvliet, and they’ve been mopping up moisture on the square. The umpires are in conference with the captains.

.At De Diepput (it’s means ‘deep well’, which is never encouraging) they’re clearing the water from the covers, and we should know a bit more about the prospects soon.

It’s raining in Capelle aan den Ijssel, so there’s no immediate prospect of play at the Bermweg. The trusty Arjen Smelt, however, tells us that the local geese are enjoying the weather enormously.

That’s encouraging: it’s not currently raining in Voorburg, and they’re preparing to remove the covers. So, depending on what they find, we may get a start ere too long.

A little bird tells us that there’s unlikely to be any play at Westvliet before noon, but we’re chasing confirmation of that. It doesn’t come as a huge surprise.